| Jan. 18, 2012 | Posted by: Marc |
Steve Jobs was not a designer, at least not in the traditional sense. In fact, there was little he did do that was traditional, in any sense of the word. Having just finished his biography, Steve Jobs by Walter Isaacson, I have a new-found respect for the man who transformed not only the world of computers, consumer electronics, music, movies, etc… but also had a profound effect of the lives of creative professionals — graphic designers in particular.
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| Feb. 3, 2011 | Posted by: Cristina |
It’s that time of year again. Love is in the air, and MSLK has compiled our 3rd annual list of things to do, give, and love this Valentine’s Day. Single or not, there’s something for everyone to enjoy.
| Feb. 1, 2011 | Posted by: Cristina |
Everyone’s a critic. Over the years, graphic design has become more mainstream. And as more people have become more aware of design, more people have become quick to judge and criticize any change in a well known corporate brand. Because of this, it’s not unheard of for a brand to change their look and then have a public backlash force them to change it back and pretend nothing ever happened (Think Gap and Tropicana). Of course, it’s impossible to make everyone happy, but with so many people responding to rebrands, selling a new look to the public is starting to become a crucial part of the rebranding process.
Starbucks and Comedy Central were both given an overhaul recently and are very good examples of this. While they are two vastly different companies, what they do have in common is that both of the companies took the time to present these rebrands in a way that says, “Yes, we did change our look, and we are going to show you why this is a change in the right direction.”
| Dec. 21, 2010 | Posted by: Cristina |
I knew even before moving to NYC that the holiday displays along and around 5th Avenue were a must see so I was excited to go out and take the photos for this year’s window recap. And I must say that what I saw exceeded my expectations. The windows were beautiful with an impressive amount of attention to detail. And with so many windows themed around travel and fantasy worlds, I felt as if I was being transported somewhere else just by looking at them.
| Nov. 15, 2010 | Posted by: Cristina |
This past weekend, a couple of us at MSLK had the opportunity to take a break from our computer screens and have some fun with words. The Spark Typography Workshop invited participants to use unconventional materials to illustrate ordinary words, and the results were rather “hair raising.”
| Nov. 9, 2010 | Posted by: Marc |
There’s a chill in the air, and chestnuts about to be roasted. That means it’s the perfect time to start thinking about gifts for the holidays. MSLK now has a wide range of giftable items for sale on the online shop at Felt & Wire.
10 items are currently featured: limited edition posters, letterpressed cards, die-cut bookmarks, and foil-stamped gift tags. Each is priced to match any budget (and grade-level of humor.) Many of these items can be useful in making your gifting easier, such as our customizable gift tags.
So pick up a set of your faves today:
http://feltandwireshop.com/seller/mslk
| Oct. 11, 2010 | Posted by: Marc |
If you haven’t seen this website yet, have a look: http://www.thewildernessdowntown.com/
It’s a promotion for the rock band Arcade Fire’s song “We Used to Wait”, and it uses an array of interactive features which customize the experience for each user. More than just a website, it’s actually described as an “interactive film” by Chris Milk using the latest website coding technology known as HTML 5. More than just a promotion, it’s one of the freshest things I have seen online in quite a while.
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| Sep. 13, 2010 | Posted by: Marc |
People love meeting graphic designers. Whenever I meet someone at a party or a prospective client at a meeting — nine times out of ten, it’s a game of twenty questions. Never the same twenty, which is what keeps the game interesting. There is one question that is consistently asked by everyone: the Money Question. Everyone wants to know how much “it” (whatever “it” may be…) will cost.
There’s never a simple answer to this question because there’s no such thing as a one-size-fits-all solution to what graphic designers do.
This is why I will be conducting one of two pricing workshops next month at How Magazine’s Mind Your Own Business Conference at the Sheraton Hotel here in NYC as a Spark event.
| Aug. 31, 2010 | Posted by: Sheri |
What does it take to launch a fashion line these days? During New York’s Fashion Week, Nolcha’s Beyond the Runway competition has emerged as a solid platform and a reputable outlet for launching top-tier designers from around the globe.
An award-winning event now in its 9th season, Nolcha provides designers with a venue to display their work with four days of runway shows, an eco-accessory exhibition, fashion business seminars, and networking events. On the last day, one very lucky designer will emerge as the winner and receive a business support package worth over $50,000 to help him or her succeed as an entrepreneur. This year MSLK and a panel of three other judges from within the fashion industry will be there to help make that selection.
Perhaps you’d like to join us for the fun and festivities. As a judge and sponsor of the event, MSLK has received passes to all the shows and after-parties. Please see the schedule below and RSVP here. Come meet fashion designers and other fashion industry professionals!
| Aug. 30, 2010 | Posted by: Ryan |
For over 55 years, the I.D. Annual Design Review has recognized the best in graphic, environmental, product, and furniture design. We are very proud that MSLK’s own Sheri L Koetting has taken her place among a jury of the field’s leading practitioners. Her voice and sensibility played a large role in the winners chosen this year in the graphics category. Viewing everything through a lens of sustainability, Sheri not only examined the purpose and aesthetics of each piece, she questioned its material usage and life expectancy.
You can see all of the winning pieces on view now until September 10th at the AIGA National Design Center. Read more to view some of the winners and see what Sheri had to say about each of the pieces.
